This year, the gates of 25 sustainable family farms across the eastern part of the Triangle region will be open. Each farm offers something different for visitors to see or do, including goat milking demonstrations; microgreen growing and beekeeping workshops; pasture walks, hayrides and greenhouse tours.

Tour coordinator Leah Joyner says visitors can get close to animals such as alpacas, cattle, pigs and turkeys; learn about hydroponics; and see a high-tech farm in a shipping container. Visitors can see where some of the top farm-to-table restaurants in the Raleigh/Durham area source the best local foods. “And, for those who want to taste local foods while they travel from farm to farm, our meal and snack stops offer locally sourced treats like Cuban sandwiches, goat cheese calzones, grass-fed cheeseburgers, barbecue plates, handmade pies, fresh veggies, and grilled meats,” she says.

Traveling with kids? This tour is self-guided, which is a plus if you have young kids, since you can go at their pace. Plan which farms you want to visit using this map, and visit any farm in any order. Or take one of CFSA’s suggested Eastern Triangle Farm Tour Adventure Trails.

Tour tickets, good for both days, are $30 per vehicle in advance and $35 on the tour weekend. Cycle groups count as one vehicle. Buy tickets at at carolinafarmstewards.org/etft or at Whole Foods Market in Chapel Hill, Durham, Cary and Raleigh, as well as other convenient locations throughout the Triangle.

New this year, opt for a guided bus tour to three farms: Vollmer Farm, Rare Earth Farm and Fat Radish Farm. The bus departs promptly at 1 p.m. from the Wendell Falls Community, located at 320 Vintage Point Lane, in Wendell, on Saturday, Sept. 17. Seating is limited and participants must have a ticket to board the bus. Adult tickets cost $15; children’s (under age 12) tickets are $5.

What to Take

If you’re planning to buy food to take home, don't forget your cooler, but leave Fido home as no pets are allowed. The tour, which supports the work of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, happens rain or shine.

Moore has a bachelor’s degree in French language and literature from North Carolina State University and a master of school administration from UNC-Chapel Hill. She's currently pursuing her doctoral degree at East Carolina University.